Although we were each tested by poor health or sea sickness early on in the trip, these bountiful and beautiful islands would be worth overcoming any adversity to witness. With the inevitable pollution of the airport and the surrounding mess of t-shirt stalls and other pointless tiendas makes you think about the power of mankind to pollute and ruin. It also makes you question whether by coming here you have done these islands a wrong. The people do have to make a living however and in the 70's the Ecuadorian government implored people to come here. They even subsidised the boat fair. Imagine being payed to go and live in the Galapagos!
Humans have been coming to these islands for hundreds of years. Initially it was a place for pirates and buccaneers to either hide out or collect supplies. Fresh water is scarce but apparently could be found in a few places most notably buccaneer's cove. Giant Tortoises can live for months without food which is incredibly tenacious of them but also unfortunate. This and there lack of speed made them easy to catch and perfect for the possibility of prized fresh meat on long sea voyages. Pirates were replaced by whaling fleets in much greater numbers. They would literally take 100's at a time and it is believed that over 200, 000 were taken in the 19th century alone. It is amazing that there was any left to save at all.
Humans also brought animals for live stock and once they were set free to breed, a myriad of issues began. Among the wrongs attributed to introduced species is their out competing the Tortoises for food and eating the eggs of both the turtles and the tortoises. They could not evolve quick enough to cope with these new demanding pressures and number plummeted.
Although the history of the islands is fraught with human ignorance and malice there are some modern stories that are inspiring and the money brought in from eco tourism does a lot of good in terms of conservation. One species of Tortoise had been reduced to a mere 12 members and through conservation they have recently released the 2500 back to the island.
So with a relatively clear conscience we went forth to witness a place that is beyond words and should be a mecca for anyone with an interest in nature. If you can save your ass off and experience something very very special. Superlatives are over used in modern times and therefore diluted making it even harder to describe a place like this. It was awe inspiring everyday and it has been agreed that the word Galapagos should become a superlative itself.
It truly was Galapagos.
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